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Wilma S.’s Story						Español (Spanish)							Print
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										Meet Wilma S.Meet Wilma S.Wilma can’t point to a specific reason she started smoking cigarettes. Her siblings smoked, and by her early teens she was sneaking cigarettes from her sister — beginning an addiction that would last 30 years.
In her mid-40s, Wilma decided that she needed to stop smoking. After several unsuccessful attempts to quit in the past, Wilma quit for good in 2007. She threw out her lighters and ashtrays and started exercising more. She got advice from her doctor and used a prescription to help. She also got support through an online program. Today, at age 49, she enjoys activities — and a lifestyle — she never dreamed of as a person who smoked.On This Page
			Wilma S.’s VideosWilma S.’s BiographyAdditional ResourcesMore Related Stories
		
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You can quit smoking! This inspiring TV ad features Beatrice R., James F. and Wilma S. — three people who successfully quit smoking after many years. They share their practical tips on how to quit for good in this commercial from CDC’s *Tips From Former Smokers*® campaign.On This Page
			Wilma S.’s VideosWilma S.’s BiographyAdditional ResourcesMore Related Stories
		
Free Quitting ResourcesTelephone
1-800-QUIT-NOW
1-855-DÉJELO-YA (Español)
1-800-838-8917 (中文)
1-800-556-5564 (한국어)
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Text QUITNOW to 333888—Message and data rates may apply
quitSTART appexternal iconWeb
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Asian Smokers’ Quitlineexternal iconPersons with disabilities experiencing problems accessing these videos should contact CDC-INFO at CDC-INFO email form: https://www.cdc.gov/info, 800-232-4636 or the TTY number at (888) 232-6348 and ask for a 508 Accommodation PR#9342. If emailing please type “508 Accommodation PR#9342” without quotes in the subject line of the email. Please include the URL of the site in the Subject line of your email request that you would like to access.
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Top of PageWilma S.’s Biography
Wilma can’t point to a specific reason she started smoking cigarettes. Her siblings smoked, and by her early teens she was sneaking cigarettes from her sister — beginning an addiction that would last 30 years. In her mid-40s, Wilma decided that she needed to stop smoking.
Wilma
“I realized I was too young to feel this bad and too old to be messing around with smoking anymore,” she says. After several unsuccessful attempts to quit in the past, Wilma quit for good in 2007. She got advice from her doctor and used a prescription to help her quit. She also got support through an online program. She threw out her lighters and ashtrays and started exercising more.
Today, at age 49, she enjoys activities — and a lifestyle — she never dreamed of as a person who smoked. She is training as a yoga instructor (yoga was one of the exercises that helped her cope with nicotine withdrawal) and for a half marathon. She also eats healthier foods than she did when she smoked.
“Once you quit, it opens up so many possibilities that you don’t see when you are caught up in the addiction,” Wilma says. “I’ll also admit, as a woman, vanity was part of my motivation to quit, too. I want to look as young as I can for as long as I can — and smoking just wasn’t going to help.”
Wilma hopes her story can inspire others to quit and is proud to be a part of the *Tips From Former Smokers*® campaign. “I want to be an inspiration for others to quit smoking, even if it’s just one person,” she says. “It’s your *health*.”
Top of PageAdditional Resourcespharmacist with patientQuit Smoking MedicinesMore Related Stories
More Real Stories about people who have quit smoking:BeatriceMeet Beatrice R.JamesMeet James F.Rico F.Meet Rico F.Tiffany R.Meet Tiffany R.John B.Meet John B.Angie P.Meet Angie P.See all *Tips*Participant StoriesTop of Page
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  July 26, 2023						Source: 	Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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